New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-10
SUGAR FROM SORGHUM.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE YEARS AGO.
DELAYS CAUSED BY HOSTILITY AND 1NCApACI1Y-
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PROFESSOR
WILEY COMMISSIONER COLMAN ALSO TO


BLAME
WAsnSGrov, Nov. 1.-when THE TRIBUNE. seven
FEARS ago. took up the cuce behalf of sorghum as
sugar-p:oduclng plant OF immense commercial value
and possibilities its position was Justified by TIE
scientific results of tho experiments then in progress
under the direction OF the chief chemist OF the De-
partncnt Of Agriculture. Bur TRIBUNE readers cannot
have forgotten how 1t happened. after new man was
placed at the head OF the Department mat the Vaue or
the experiments decried aud how the experiments
themselves were placed In tae hands OF men WIZ,
apparently determined that they should not succeed
Those men fought losing hght and the results OF
this yoar more than Justify the guarded statements and
predctio OF THE rRiEuNE IN 1880. Moreover these
results in perfect accord with the scientific dc
ducons OF Dr. Collier which published in official
foriu at that time and which have boon repeatedly
Gelidci and officially sneercd at by his successor as
well d by successive Commissioners OF Agriculture.
What the results this ,earl At Fort Scott, Kansas.
where Commissioner Coluans chemist Professor Wiley,
made a complete failure last year. The work has been
under the direction AMI conr, of Professor SwcusOn.
About 500 OF sorghum planted. large of
which was greatly injured by drouth. ON fair
average soil. however the yield Of cane ten to
tons per with an average yei of twelve
tons From This the highest yield of fsts" sugar
Ia roInds per ton of cane the average yield some
what in OF 100 pounds; the average yicil OF
seconds" twenty pounds to tho ton and the
Yield OF syrup about fifteen gallons In other
to 1000 pounds and tie average yield of syrup about
$50 gallons.
SO uuch for Fort Scott, whore Professor Wiloy's
opera ions with much last year a
pete f,iiure. he confessed AT the Rio Grandc New
Jersey. this year. September 80, after
Professor Wiley had left the place IN dsgist-h1vins
been unable TO produce any sugar In period of some
two wcass-l.ii pounds of sugar and 1O5 gal!oas of
molasseS obtiinei from the cane raised on a
single acre of grounl by farmer in that vicinity This
the rate of 1896 pounds of sugar TO the ten Of
stripped Hardly any reader will fail TO note tho
close of results between the New Jersey
cane AMI the can raiseI in Kansas: liii pounds or
per in NewJersey aud 1ii0 to 1900 pounds
In Kansas But Professor Wiley could get at
Rio Graadc In a two weeks trial. owing, as under
stand he has asserted TO "mechancal defects" He is,
10 least extremely unfortunate That however
was probably not the reason why he manager OF the
Parkinson sugar Company, OF Fort Scott, Kansas. on
October H. 1887. sent TO Commissioner Colman this
dispatch Unders ani Professor Wiley is coming here
The Parkinson Sugar Company hereby enters protest
If he assumes any direction. control management
whats pever will close the factory" Upon receipt OF
this dspltch Co missioner Co!man constrained to
reply thar Professor Wiley his To Louisiana
anl would stop AT Fort scott only for visit" That
was u roundabout way for Professor Wiley to travel
from Washington TO New Orleans and it is TO lie hoped
that he found his "yst" Profitable well pleasant
The truth is that the Kansas who have invested
their money in the sorghum sugar industry became
dis last year with Professor Wilcys Incompetence
ami as of believed his hostility. that thee
threatened all relations with the Department Of
Agriculture If he should be given any controlor
direction Of the work this gear One of them recently
declared 81 hope all friends of the sorghum Industry
will rise and protest AGAINST any further
Interference by ley. who has, so far, used all his
official power TO stranglc H."
That ia pretty harsh language and yet it may be
remembered by TRIBUNE readers that no longer ago
t1,,, m .ti ,l1Ip
before the society for the promotion of agricultural
science in New-York Professor Wiley ASSERTED that
sorghum is not rich enoa-a in sugar to guarantc
profitable production. for the failures were not due TO
bad machinery or bat manipulation; that the average
Yield than eight of cane 10 the acre
and twenty pounds of to the tom In snort tha,
course month six weeks ia'er, long after the
publication Of synopsis OF his address IN Inh Ihl ~
operations Fort scott. Professor Wiley compelled
70 eek re n.e IN ienia OF The statements imputed
him declaration that no hh NOT been correctly
reported. lie also prepared ana submitted 10
Commissioner Colman a manuscript which he said was
occasion referred when the fact that the copy of
the idresS which he carried 10 New-fork wa so
blurred and inisnct that ne could not aud did not
rest il, IN, spoke "pf hand Gom%lssoner col IAN,
stalenen, that the IRbUSts report was incorrect ana
Will pay attention TO the latter. although 1t Is IN
harmony with other statements OF The chemist Oh the
Perhaps commissioner Colman may not know all
about Professor Wiley. In the summer OF 1854, he was
making preparations for sorghum experiments. with
i!ab' for his Il vision He WAS au officer or the
Government whose interests he was sworn to defend
AMI roth he AMI Commissioner Lorng were o. iOly
anXon-cven ns entstiouaiy anxious II they were 10 DO
hT sen tic Methods" But one day in midsummer there
apIeac, Chemist Wieys Office the represen aiive OF
-oaih american Government, who had been instructed
to Investigate the sorghum industry OF the United
States a,ccrtMa what machinery would be required
SORGHUM aud the cost thereof Apparently. Professor
Wiley Il golden vision. for no sat down and wrote
letter 2 manufacturer or machinery in which 1t II
asserted. he said that he had informed the south
American representative that he had recommended that
manufacturer as the person VINO c0uu iuasn I'll, ine
machinery and plant required better than any "ody else
should recon mend him Wiley as the proper person to
go to-the south American country and set up the |
plart etc and that operation might thus he made
profitable both 10 him t"iey) and the manufacturing.
Mr. Wiley also observed that he thought he could easily
obtain OF absence for year or two TO engage IN
this politable undertaking II seems that the manu-
acturcr for some reason PERHAPS ono wnIcn WAS no
ton under the circumstances, decnnea 10 ((oln tne
partnership and tho project fell through Professor
Wiley compelled. therefore, TO fortgo this profitable
ve.turc. 49,
mpeed 20 letter to tho manufacturers of sugar
machinery which had bought by the department OF
Agriculture for certain sorghum experiments winch were
to be conducted at OTTAWA. Kansas. stating, Ia his
opinion hat unless they seat some practical person to
msciirly the result would bo failure both to the
ad ed: Professor Wiley. the chemist, who Is in direct
chargc. seems particularly d-srous that no 1voraoe
Comm s!oncs Iorne ana Conau refused to allow the
inanuacurerst to do that Why The machinery was kept
But il wond require too much space TO show IN ono |
letter by how many and how devious ways Professor
Vile, and his able coadiutOrs, Commissioners Iorng |
and COIN ~ succeeded for four years In preventing any
successful operations either in the sorghum sugar
Industry the application of improved methods 10 inc
of cane sugar IN LOUISIANA me atuemp.
OF Column and Wiley, In the interest OF foreign manu-
facturrIs prevent the adoption ana use OF sugar
maceinciywhch tho latter in an Official report had
hin>e be superior machinery OF foreign
inanHf tnc the attempt OF the same officials TO iniurc the
sugar rnng Industry of the United states; the attempt
To hroS da>t in the of people by declaring at mo
sorghum controversy had no other foundation imam the
cror's o! the Naons Academy OF Sciences ana Dr.
collier 10 rcn,3te the Latter in An Office whch mas
become ably word Hmo2% American scientist since ne
W"s tiirci "dt OF -t tnr'c ard more can he written
hb"ui ~ ~ !" uIake intcie linz reading.
" NAV Ice now observed however that there - an !
ar.'arcnt disposition on the part % Commissioner |
al Ia make scapc:Oat OF Professor Wiley. That
Ought moi u he permitted. ON" Is deep
Other Is Ia the mire of the systematic efforts which
have t-Tcr been abttei duug the past four wears
hell